The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for scrolling through information in the window of a graphical user interface of a computer.
The most common method of scrolling through text in a graphical user interface using a windows type format is to use the horizontal and vertical scroll bars. A typical vertical scroll bar apparatus contains up and down directional buttons and a vertically oriented track having a slider. A typical horizontal scroll bar contains left and right directional buttons and a horizontally oriented track having a slider. The user can scroll through the text by using the pointer to drag the slider along either the horizontal or vertical track, or by depressing any of the four directional buttons. The user can also page up or down through the text by clicking on the track above or below the slider on the vertical scroll bar. Alternatively, the user can page left or right through the text by clicking on the track to the left or right of the slider on the horizontal scroll bar.
Problems arise when the user attempts to scroll through the text and inadvertently moves the pointer off of the slider or off of one of the directional buttons. When this happens, the scrolling stops suddenly and the screen returns to the point where the cursor is placed. Often, the cursor is placed at a position within the text that is not visible on the current screen and the screen jumps back to the cursor. This delays and disrupts the process of scrolling and is particularly problematic when the action of maneuvering the mouse is difficult, as is the case with some notebook computers or as is the case with a mouse with worn components. Therefore, a need exists for an apparatus and method for scrolling through text in windows that will prevent the user from inadvertently moving the pointer off of the scrolling bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,785 issued to Bertram et al. (hereinafter Bertram) discloses a xe2x80x9cMethod And System For Dynamically Manipulating Values Associated With Graphical Elements Displayed Within A Graphical User Interfacexe2x80x9d which addresses the problem of inadvertently moving the pointer off of the slider. Bertram avoids inadvertent movement off of the slider by teaching the use of one click (depress and release) of a button to attach the pointer to the slider, transference of motion of the pointer into corresponding scrolling through the text limited in the direction of the scroll bar (i.e. only horizontal or vertical, depending on the particular scroll bar selected), and using a second click of the button to disconnect the pointer from the slider.
What is needed beyond the prior art is a pointer that may be attached to either the sliders or the directional buttons. What is further needed is a pointer that may be attached and disengaged with only one button click.
The present invention meets the needs stated above by providing an improved apparatus and method for scrolling through text contained in windows on a graphical user interface. The invention determines whether the user is holding down a command button while the mouse pointer is either placed over the slider on a scroll bar or over one of the directional buttons. If the pointer is on the vertical slider, the invention ignores left and right mouse movements. If the pointer is on the horizontal slider, the invention ignores up and down mouse movements. If the pointer is on one of the four directional arrows, the invention ignores all mouse movements. The invention will continue along these guidelines until the command button is released. By performing these tasks, the invention eliminates the possibility that a user will inadvertently move the pointer off of the scroll bar or off of the directional buttons. In an alternate embodiment, the invention uses two buttons, a freeze button and the command button, where upon a clicking of the freeze button, the command button may be used repeatedly to activate a directional button until the freeze button is clicked a second time. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers represent like parts of the invention.